R LAS VEGAS - Las Vegas Market

LAS VEGAS MARKET INSIDER WINTER 2010
24
GOING JUVENILE
World Market
Center Las Vegas
preparing for Vegas Kids in June
World Market Center Las Vegas presents an exciting new trade show that brings the
full spectrum of kid’s markets together for one convenient, opportunity-fi lled buying
event. Vegas Kids TM , launching June 13–16, 2010, will be co-located with the inaugural
Gift + Home TM Market at WMCLV’s state-of-the-art campus.
Vegas Kids will off er an all-encompassing
array of juvenile and baby
products, including toys, games, books,
furniture, top-of-bed, gift s, accessories
and more. Th e show will draw exhibitors
and buyers from across a broad spectrum
of interrelated industries, and will represent
the most established companies
and the most innovative products on the
market.
Greg Panos, director of business development
of Vegas Kids, says juvenile is
one industry that has been least aff ected
by the current
environment.
“Juvenile has
always been
a very strong
industry. Moms are giving
up purchasing or downgrading
purchasing for
themselves and their husbands, but have
not let up on what they are spending on
their kids,” says Panos. “Th ey have not
downgraded quality on these purchases
either.”
In fact, Easy Analytic Soft ware Inc. reports
that some categories are expected to
experience phenomenal growth, such as
infant gear, which is projected to increase
12.7 percent in the next fi ve years; youth
bedroom furniture, which is estimated to
grow 12.7 percent by the year 2013; and
cribs, which is expected to climb 12.8
percent over the next fi ve years.
When it launches, Vegas Kids will be
the most technology-oriented show in
the juvenile industry with the innovative
use of smart phone applications, live
feeds, on-site fl at screens, social networking,
mobile marketing, live blogs and
Tweets, technology seminars and more.
“Moms are the most technologically
advanced consumer on the planet,
controlling 20 percent of Internet traffi c
worldwide,” Panos explains. “We anticipate
some of the top mommy bloggers
(and top infl uencers) will be
at the show Tweeting live
from the show fl oor.”
Vegas Kids is also plan-
Levels of Discovery
ning a dynamic lineup of educational
programming and special events. “In this
economy education is almost as important
as products. Buyers want to go to a
very relevant seminar on how they can
save money or compete better,” he says.
Margaret Casey, director of programming,
WMCLV, says attendees can
expect lively and pertinent panel discussions,
programs on e-tail and seminars
about taking the pulse of retail trends.
“Th e goal is to make the programs really
relevant and business savvy,” says Casey.
“We want to help position both the
buyers and the sellers by arming them
with successful strategies for reaching
consumers.”
Vegas Kids is also currently a vital
destination at the bi-annual Las Vegas
Market in Building A, Floor 9 with such
exhibitors as Alligator Enterprise, Berg
Furniture, California Kids, Comfort Research,
Furniture Basics, KidKraft , Levels
of Discovery OneWorld, Southeastern
Kids, Vermont Precision Woodworks/
Bolton Furniture and more.
WMCLV is already securing special rates
at a variety of Las Vegas hotels for the June
2010 dates and a full list of host hotels will
be announced soon. For more information,
please visit www.VegasKidsLV.com.